One Fateful Night
by Gina.N.B
Summary: Bella's eighteenth birthday, from the point of view of the Cullens. Different parts of the night told through the eyes of Carlisle, Rosalie, Emmett, Jasper, Esme and Alice.
1. Carlisle: Preparations

**Carlisle**

We Cullen's love a party. Wait, correction: The Cullen women love parties, the men just love what makes their women happy. Second correction: Bella, not quite a Cullen, apparently detests parties, but yet here we are, about to celebrate the 18th Birthday of Isabella Swan.

I stood at the kitchen door, quietly observing the buzz of excitement that filled our home. Alice, my pretty little Alice, was skipping around lighting the dozens of baby pink candles she had spread about the room. Emmet was sitting cross-legged on the thick white rug wrapping Bella's gifts. His tongue hung slightly from his mouth as he concentrated on trying to fold the silver paper around the boxes as best he could. His brows furrowed and he growled in frustration when the piece he had cut from the roll provided by Alice proved too small.  
"Give it here". With one swift movement, Rosalie took the box from Emmet, refolded it and stuck it neatly into place. She handed it back to him and he kissed her hand in appreciation. Rosalie then looked up to where I was standing,  
"That smells disgusting!" I couldn't help but let out a laugh when I heard my wife respond from the kitchen,  
"I heard that Rose, and it's for Bella so you don't have to like it." I turned into the kitchen just as Rosalie rolled her eyes and slumped angrily onto the couch. Esme was stood over a large mixing bowl in our rarely used kitchen. Her appointed cooking assistant, Jasper, was manoeuvring a large tray over from by the window where it had been cooling. On the tray there was a large, round, light brown…. thing. A cake, I had been told. As I had spent my days working this week, Esme had made several practice cakes, none of them went tasted of course, so her only way of measuring her success was how they had looked. Jasper had recently graduated from Forks High, and had kindly assisted Esme in her attempts all week. The pair now worked in silence as I watched them. Each time Esme looked up to get a required utensil, Jasper would be there waiting with it. That's how Jasper works. His affections are less vocal than Alice's, less physical than Emmet's, they're subtle. The sight of Jasper performing such a mundane task (well mundane to humans at least), was so wonderful to me. Since Jasper joined our family over fifty years ago, I have watched him fighting to adjust.

Tonight was important, it was obvious. It was important to Esme, who was now neatly spreading the pink mix over the cake with Jasper's help. Edward's new found happiness had been so joyous to her, and Bella had become like a daughter to both of us. Tonight was important to Alice. Alice adored Bella, her new sister. Her love for Bella combined with her love for Edward, combined with her love for grand celebrations meant tonight _had _to be wonderful, and if it was important to Alice, it was more than important to Jasper. However hard it was for Jasper to be around Bella, there was nothing he would not endure for Alice. Emmet and Rose, well they had come home early from Africa for tonight. Emmet did care for Bella; there were no limits to the entertainment she provided him with. Rosalie may not be so thrilled about tonight, or indeed Bella, but this family is very important to her, so she would play along. But the real reason we were all making such a fuss, was Edward. In the past few months Edward's world had become centred on Bella. In his many years with me Edward had brought me so much peace and happiness, just as he had with the other members of our family as they joined it, it was now time for us to help him find happiness. If Bella was important to him, she was important to us.

I snapped out of my deep thought when Jasper came up beside me; he was holding the huge, now pink cake on a large silver dish,  
"Alice, where dya want the cake?"  
"Put it on the table by Edward's piano, Oh Jazz, Esme it looks great!" Esme followed Jasper to the table; she was holding a stack of glass plates. Rosalie, who remained slumped in the sofa across the room asked,  
"Esme, what's with all the plates?" Emmet laughed too and stood to put his arm around the closest he had to a mother,  
"Yeah I mean, I know you and Jazz worked hard 'n all but, you can't expect us to eat that"  
"And I don't. I just thought one solitary plate would look a little bit pathetic, plus these plates really do work better as a set." Emmet laughed again and kissed Esme on the forehead. Alice bounded towards me then, her arms overflowing with colourful paper orbs.  
"Carlisle, they'll be here in two minutes, will you please put these lanterns out on the porch and I'll light them after I put out the roses"  
"Of course Alice" She thrust the lanterns into my arms and skipped away.

I stood before the porch surveying the lanterns I'd put out. They looked acceptable to me, so I went back inside. I stood for a moment as Alice gathered everyone to wait in the living room.  
"Carlisle come on, when she comes we all have to say "Happy Birthday, Bella" together and with feeling" I took my place behind Esme and wrapped my arms around her, bending down to rest my head on her shoulder. Tonight would go well, it had to.

**(A/N): Though I'm sure you all know what's coming, I hope you'll enjoy reading my version, from the point of view of the Cullen's. This is my first fanfic, so all reviews will be greatly appreciated. Should update soon.**


	2. Rosalie: Presents

**Rosalie**

We all stood waiting. Emmett stood with his arm around my shoulder, and when Bella's truck first became audible, he kissed the top of my golden hair. The engine cut in the driveway, and my smooth sigh mixed in with Alice's impatient squeal. Before silence washed over Bella's clattering truck, I'd made out Edward say

"Try to be a good sport". Emmet laughed and whispered in my ear,

"Is he talking to Bella or you?" The rest of the family heard it, of course, and each of them laughed too. I looked down the line of my family, and into Emmett's golden eyes. Bella didn't belong here, I was sure of it. She belonged with other humans, ones she could live her life with, but _I _did belong here, with Emmett and our family, so I'd be damned if Bella Swan would push me from my where I belonged.

I'd broken off into a daze, only to be disturbed by the sound of Emmett's deep laugh booming beside me. Everyone else was laughing too, including Edward as he approached the front door. I must have missed one of Bella's fantastic jokes. Shame. As they entered everyone shouted "Happy Birthday, Bella", I said it too, with all the enthusiasm I could muster. The girls cheeks filled with a deep, delicious crimson, Bella was too human for her own good. She just stood there then, eyes wide in a look of almost horror while she surveyed the living room. Esme and Carlisle were beside Emmett and I, and closest to Bella. They moved towards her to welcome her. We would be next. I took a deep breath and channelled my thoughts,

_Look as civil as possible Rose, you don't have to smile, but just try not to glare at her. _I looked up and saw Edward looking at me, a look of quiet appreciation on his face, I was trying….tonight. I really didn't even have to worry about smiling; my big lug of a husband was smiling more than enough for the both of us.

"You haven't changed at all," he said jokingly. Since graduating from Forks High Emmet and I had spent the past few months in Africa. I was certain that on returning to a "year older" Bella, Emmett expected her to have aged somewhat. This was understandable I suppose, Emmet hadn't aged in around seventy years so he must have forgotten how the process works.

I was considering how wonderful it was not to age when Emmett let go of my shoulders and said to Bella

"Don't do anything funny while I'm gone". He bound out of the room then to execute his birthday surprise. The car stereo had been my idea, and I'd regretted coming up with it ever since, Emmett had constantly been reminding Edward to hammer home to Bella how much her current stereo "sucked", so that when she got her new one, she would appreciate it more. Alice skipped past me then, leaving Jasper safely by the stairs. After being ushered towards the presents Bella voiced some ungrateful protest before Alice placed the box that _had _contained the car radio from Me, Emmett and Jasper. When Bella opened the empty box, she turned to where Jasper and I stood,

"Um… thanks", a smile slipped through my lips. Jasper explained to her and she thanked us both before shouting thanks to Emmett who was still outside. Emmett's booming laugh of a reply sent another smile, wider this time, onto my face.

Emmet bounded back into the room just as Bella was opening her gift from Alice and Edward. Jasper had moved a lot closer forward from behind me so he could see better over my tall frame, and Emmett returned to my side. The last action I remember having full control over, was looking up at Emmett as he laughed at Bella's reaction to her present. Because then it hit me, and everything changed. The smell was so strong; I didn't even have to look away from Emmett to know what had happened.

"Shoot". Bella was bleeding, and it felt like time had stopped. Emmett's entire body firmed under my hands, and his face fell from its laughter, and froze. I needed to control myself, even distract myself, my throat was on fire. I had no doubt in my mind that I could conquer this, my record was impeccable, and I would not ruin it because of Bella Swan, however good she smelled. My mind raced, then became fixed. Fixed on the one person who _could not_ do this. Jasper. He had been standing at my side, and I felt as his whole body seemed to stagger backwards from the shock. Oh Crap. I must have sensed the change in Jasper at the same time as Edward, because from then, time started again, and at double speed.


	3. Emmett: Fighting

**Now just a boring little note from the author. Thanks SO much to all the reviewers, you rock! Please keep reviews coming, good, bad I don't care, they just let me know how I'm doing. I'd also like to hear what bits you liked/didn't like. Anyway, next update might be a couple days away because I'm kinda busy, and I got a feeling the next chapters gonna be a lot of work. But now I'm gonna pass over to Emmett for Chapter three, Fighting. Enjoy**

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****Emmett**

Aww Jeez, and tonight was goin' so good.

I'd barely gotten a second to have my senses ravaged by the smell of Bella's blood, when the pretty little party turned into a scene from some Zombie Horror/Wildlife Documentary/Pro-wrestling hybrid. There was like a second of silence, before a hella noise.  
"No!" Edward yelled and dived into Bella, sending her flying into the glass table. I didn't take my eyes off her, the force that pulled me towards her, and her blood, was so strong. Then there was a deep thunderous smash. The kinda smash I only ever heard when a storm was goin' and the Cullen's would go out to play. It was the kinda deep crashing sound made when two boulders collide, not boulders in this case though, but my two brothers.

Jasper was right up in Edward's face, snarling, almost screaming, fighting to get to Bella. Edward was giving it all he had; it was obvious from his face. Jasper was a soldier, and he was in a frenzy, Edward needed help. So with one step I grabbed Jasper. I locked my hands round his chest and pulled him off of Edward, all the time fighting with myself not to lunge past Edward and grab Bella for myself. Jasper was wriggling like a possessed baby in my arms, but there was no way they were gonna give. When I stepped back up, the smell had gotten worse, or better, I'm not sure how to describe it. It was stronger at least. Jasper's eyes were crazy and on Bella, I followed them and saw her slumped on the floor, blood gushing from her arm. She looked up, terrified. Clumsy little Bella.

I didn't know what to do. I looked round the room, Edward was still crouched at my feet, his eyes on Jasper. Alice was behind the piano, digging her fingers into its side, crushing it. Aww Damn, when this is over, Edward's gonna kill her for that. Esme was behind Carlisle, her eyes were shut and her hands were pushed tightly over her mouth, like she was tryin' not to puke.  
Carlisle was standing straight, and his face was completely relaxed. He never stopped amazing me. He dealt with this _everyday_ and here we were, goin' to bits over what started with a paper cut. Here _I_ was, fighting my urges with everything I got, not to mention the squirming psychopath in my arms.  
Carlisle took control then, in a stern voice I wasn't used to from him he said,  
"Emmett, Rose, get Jasper outside". Behind him, Esme scurried to open the door, one hand still over her mouth.  
"Come on Jasper". I'm not sure how my words sounded, but it felt like I was pleading with him. I walked towards the door, dragging Jasper. He twisted and yelled, I'd never seen him like this. Even when Jasper was obviously in pain 'cos of the humans around him, he was always so upright and collected, like a soldier should be I guess. If I didn't know any better, I'd never believe this was _my_ brother. Even when we'd play fight each other he was nothing like this. Or when the two us had to rip that son of a gun James apart, sure he was angry then, but nothin' like this. This wasn't my brother.

Rose stood in front of Jasper and helped me drag him through the doors Esme held open. The fresh air outside was such a relief, I breathed for the first time since all this started. We walked round the side of the house, Jasper still fighting in my arms. He was leaning against me and kicking in the air. One of those powerful kicks came about and inch away from the side of Rose's convertible. She didn't like that at all. I was sure then that she was seriously considering ripping Jazz apart, maybe in the time it took to put himself back together, he would have calmed down. She was probably about to execute the punishment for endangering her BMW when she spotted Esme, crouched against the wall. Rose turned back to me,  
"Get him out of here!" and then she went to put her arms round our mother.

I dragged Jasper away from the cars and through the trees. He finally stopped wriggling. I stood still.  
"Em, let me go"His voice was low, and sad. I didn't drop my arms; I wanted to check he was ok first.  
"Emmet! Let me go!" His yelling caught me by surprise, my brother had never been mad at me before. Not really. So I let go. As soon as my arms dropped he was gone. Running into the woods.  
"I'm sorry Jazz". It was only a whisper, but I hoped he could hear me.


	4. Jasper: Consequences

**I'm sorry this update took a while. Things have been kinda crazy, and this chapter gave me a mild case of writers block. Anyway, pretty-please-with-a-Cullen-on-top leave a review after reading this, they mean a lot.**

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**Jasper**

I ran. Ran through the woods that in the past few years had become my familiar hunting ground. Our family worked on a system. Our hunts would stretch further out, before pulling back to where we had started. That way the wildlife of Forks and Washington, and any other area, was left intact. Running was a distraction, I was glad. It helped me to restrain my thoughts, the thoughts I wasn't ready to face yet. I breathed deep, letting the useless air circulate without purpose in my lungs.

I caught the familiar scents engraved in the surroundings. Scents of those who were like me, but so different. Scents of those who had resisted, when I had lost my mind to temptation. So strong were they now that I could even picture my family in the hunt. Silent Esme. Who drank without a sound, from herself or her creature. Calm Carlisle, never letting the frenzy envelop him. I could see Emmett's powerful playfulness, as he toyed with his weak prey. Neat Rosalie, the swift hunter, who would emerge without a hair out of place. The most familiar of the scents had me pushing to run faster. Alice. My graceful Alice. In my madness I hadn't even thought to look to where she was standing. I was thankful for this now, I didn't want to face her expression on discovering the monster I really was. Edward filled my senses then, breaking down my mental barricades, causing my legs to grind to a stop. I exhaled, and with it came an anguished cry. I stood, just screaming. It was a violent scream as I let out all the anger and aggression I had built up. I stopped and buried my head in my hands.

Emotions are funny. I spent over a hundred years controlling the ones around me, living in a world coloured with the things. But when it comes to my own, I am powerless. Anger, sorrow and regret were seeping through every fibre of my body. The fire in my mind raged just as strong as the one in my throat. As every thought and feeling raced through me, I continued to breathe deep. I caught the undesirable scent of a deer, and pounced.

The animal was as unsatisfying as all before him were. The fire had been appeased, but its memory burned stronger than ever. I caught Edward's scent again, it sent my thoughts racing for a second time briefly, before I realised that it was new. Not the embedded scent, this one was in the wind, the wind that was bringing him to me now. Edward was faster than I could even think to be and I only stood a few seconds before I could hear him approach. He slowed, almost to the pace of a walking human. I knew he could hear my thoughts already, but I still stood, trying to figure out what the hell I was gonna say. What _could _I say.  
"Hey brother. Sorry I tried to kill your girlfriend, we ok?" Yeah, that would have probably been the right way to go, but there was no hiding from Edward. So when I saw him, standing a few dozen feet from me, I stopped trying to assemble my thoughts. Words were not necessary. I looked to the mossy ground, like with Alice, I wasn't ready to read Edward's responses, and I just threw all my feelings at him.

I went right back in my mind. To when Bella first came to our home. I had already felt the effect she'd had on Edward, but that day was the first time I felt the joy she also brought Esme, Alice and Carlisle. I couldn't understand why Edward was doing this, jeopardising out entire family for this human girl. But she was making the people I cared about happy, so that night, I swore to myself I would fight against her enticing scent. I kept my oath, I even protected her, and supported her when the time came that she needed it; when the fact that she was human brought trouble, in the shape of the tracker onto our family. I felt the pain coming from Edward when I remembered the scene in that Phoenix ballet studio. I remembered how it felt for me. Having to witness myself revert to the deadly soldier I'd bottled up. Having to hear Bella's screams as the injuries James had inflicted on her took there toll. I'd stood before the fire that burned our enemy, and questioned if it was all worth it, if exposing Bella was the right thing for Edward to do. The screams that rang from her told me that it wasn't right, and the scent that her blood had filled the air with, tempting me, assured me that it wasn't fair.

Then I thought of tonight. My still heart wrenched inside me as I remembered cooking with Esme just a few hours ago. Nobody made me feel more normal than Esme, my mother. I remembered the unfaltering and overwhelming feeling of love that poured out of her as I assisted her. My memories then flicked to the shaking bundle I had seen against the house wall as Emmett dragged me away. The weeping Esme. Was it fair for Edward to have brought the situation on her, where she would hate herself for having to fight so hard not to kill one she had so effortlessly loved. I recalled how quickly it had all happened. How the scene turned from one of celebration to chaos in seconds. How if it had not been for Edward seeing my actions a split second before I executed them, I could have got to her. I remembered the desperate emotions seeping from everyone in the room, even him. He was fighting too. I replayed to him the sight of a terrified Bella slumped on the floor, blood gushing from her arm, because Edward had had to _throw_ her out of my way. I remembered the pleading in Emmett's voice as he dragged me away. I showed him how I had fought against him, all the while not even recognizing him as my brother, not even caring if he would have been an obstacle to be removed in order to get to Bella.

I had filed through my thoughts and felt calmer. I looked up to Edward. He stood beside a tree, one hand resting on it, his eyes fixed aimlessly into the distance. He was angry. I wasn't ready to break the silence, so I thought my words.  
"_Edward, I understand you're angry. I am sorry. I had not control over my actions I…"_  
"I know". His voice was broken and quiet, his eyes did not move.  
"I know, it's not your fault. It's mine. I have been so incomprehensibly selfish. I hate myself for what I've done. Both to this family and to Bella"  
"_Bella is part of this family." _I showed him many things then. How we had all protected her at the baseball game, how I had fought to ensure her of her importance to the family when she feared her worth when it came to fighting James, all the effort that had gone into the doomed birthday party.  
"_She IS part of our family"_  
"I know. That is perhaps the cruellest thing I have done. I have brought her here to love you all, and for her to be loved by you in return. An evil thing to do to any of you, as it has only brought you all pain when the inevitable happened. When something went wrong"  
I stayed silent. All the intense anger that was coming from him was at himself. There were other emotions. Regret, confusion, but also finality. Strong finality, which had replaced the tentative doubt he had harboured over his relationship with Bella for months now. Yes, the doubt was gone, decision lay in its place.  
"Edward, what are you gonna do?"  
I spoke for the first time, and Edward looked straight into my eyes. His face was full of grief.  
"I can't do this anymore, Jazz. It's wrong. I've always doubted if this was right, and now I am sure. I must protect what I love. This family and Bella."  
"They're the same thing Edward, Alice has seen it. One day she will be safe as one of us. We will all be safe"  
"No!" He banged his fist against the thick tree, sending a strong tremor through it. "That…. what Alice has seen, is not going to happen. She has a life, a life I have ruined enough already."  
"What about your life Edward? Are you not entitled to some happiness?"  
"I just had to throw my happiness into a glass table! If anything takes away my entitlement to it, I think that does."  
He had taken long strides towards me and was now only a couple of feet away. He relaxed his face and sighed, putting one hand on my shoulder.  
"You are what you are Jasper. The strength you have shown to fight your urges this far has been amazing. You forget that I know you so well. I know your past, all your savage memories. I hear how you battle with yourself everyday. I even hear how you have grown to care for Bella, something that goes beyond any kindness I ever deserve. This family is your home, and by bringing Bella into it, I have made your refuge a battle too. Forgive me"  
"I forgive you. But this needn't go any further Edward. If Bella cannot forgive me for tonight I can leave."  
"Definitely not. We stick together. She will forgive you, you forget how peculiar she is like that"  
We both laughed an uneasy laugh. The girl who liked to hang with vampires, peculiar may have been an understatement.  
"I have to go. I should take her home"  
As he turned to leave, I grabbed his arm.  
"She loves you."  
I said it with concrete assurance; my talent was not needed to see the blatant adoration Bella had for my brother.  
"I know, that's half the problem"

Then he was gone. Half the problem? I stood alone in the woods once again, it would be a while before I wanted to return to the house. I was worried now. Worried what the consequences for tonight would be. Had I shown Edward too much? No. He had always known the anger I felt for him making it so much harder for me. The resolve he had felt had been lingering for a while, and came in full swing the second things went wrong at the party. I had not made up Edward's mind for him, but I had not changed it. I don't know if I could have, perhaps nothing I could have said would have changed his decision, whatever it was. Half the problem? If her love for him was half the problem, then the other half……. his for her. _What was he going to do?_ I was worried. Worried about Bella, she may hate me now, but I did still care for her. Whatever Edward had decided, it would be in her best interests, I was sure of that. I worried for Alice, who was so devoted to Bella. No, I had to go home now. To see her, to try and explain. I began my journey home. Switching between walking and running. Half wanting to see Alice, half wanting to prolong my absence, and postpone facing the consequences.


	5. Esme: CleanUp

**Esme**

"You should go to Emmett"  
"Esme, are you sure?"  
"Yes Rose, and thank you. I know you may not understand all of this, but the fact that you support your family means so much to me."  
Rose's beautiful face was tensed. Her light eyebrows were frowning, and her nose was wrinkled. Even when she spoke her teeth remained partially clenched beneath her pouted lips. She was kneeling beside me, keeping her knees off the gravel I was sat in. She had remained in this position for the unknown number of minutes I had been weeping, her arms round me, comforting the tears that would never fall. She could not sympathise, poor Rose resented Bella. Bella represented and held everything Rose dreamed of. Life, a real life that would be lived, and one day end. Tonight was everything Rose had predicted, proof of how dangerous we could be to Bella, because of how different to us she was, and also of how dangerous she was to us, a temptation. The perfect opportunity to say I told you so, but she didn't. Instead she sat here, picking up the pieces. Poor misunderstood Rose. I went to stand up, but she lifted me gently to me feet. I almost began to weep again at her kindness. Rose's story was one so tragic, and the way she conducted herself so thoughtfully around me now, caused me to forget all the sometimes less kind things she did and said.  
"Go. I should make sure things are alright inside". I ran my hand lovingly through the strands of hair that hung over her shoulder, turned, and slowly walked to the door. I took one last breath of the clear outside air, and opened it.

My insides churned as the smell hit me again. I clenched my fists and forced myself to stand upright. I walked straight towards the closet in the hallway, all the while my eyes hardly open. The majority of my cleaning equipment was stored in the kitchen, but I could not go in there. Thankfully there was a mop, a bucket and some bleach in the hallway closet. In order to uphold our family's authenticity in Forks, I made regular appearances at a couple of convenience stores, mindlessly purchasing whatever seemed normal. The cleaning things were usually the only items that weren't disposed of on my arrival home. I took the things from the cupboard and found a few large towels I wouldn't much care about having to throw away.

I stood just looking at the mess. If it was at all possible, I was sure tears would have been rolling down my face at the sight. I knelt on the ground, not daring to breath. The shards of glass lay under my legs, not piercing my rock hard skin. I picked up two of the towels, throwing the first over the pool of blood. The white cotton turned a deep red as it absorbed, I stared at it, watching the outline spread across the material. I folded the second towel, this one a dark brown, and placed it on top. At least the blood was not visible now. I turned then to pick up the shattered table, I stood and carried it to the corner of the room. When I returned I saw the mass of pink frosting piled across the rug. My insides tensed again and I lowered myself onto the couch. Jasper, he would be hurting now. My dry heart bled for my troubled son. I picked up the third towel and began to scoop up what remained of the creation we had spent the past week trying to perfect.

When the majority of the cake had been cleaned up, and I'd collected all the glass into one pile, I looked up to Edward's piano. There was a large hole in it's frame. Somehow in the madness, the grand instrument had been broken. I hoped it wasn't due to Bella being thrown into it or something, I'd had my eyes closed for most of it, so I wasn't sure. With one hand I picked up the piano, and span it round so that the hole was no longer visible. After placing it back down carefully, I stood admiring it. Not so much for it's own beauty, but for it's relation to Edward. I could now hear the conversation going on between Carlisle and his patient in the kitchen. They were talking of Edward, I began to hum to myself. Partly because I didn't want to intrude on their talk, and partly because I could not bear to hear it. I continued to hum as I poured the bleach into the bucket. There was no need for water, I wanted every trace of Bella's blood and it's scent gone quickly. I mopped what was left of the cake first. Too numb now to think of the sadness of the scene, instead I focused on humming. The tune I hummed was one that had become so familiar and joyful to me, but it now held a somewhat tragic undertone. It was the lullaby Edward had created for Bella. The one I would so often plead with him to play, the one he and Alice had recorded as a Birthday gift. I found this gift then, lying on the floor just beside the towels covering the blood. One of it's corners was still lifted where Bella had began to open it before cutting her finger. It had remained untouched and presentable so I put it under the piano where I had already placed the gift from myself and Carlisle, and Bella's camera.

I lifted the two towels, placing them immediately in a trash bag I had found. I wasn't breathing, but I could still catch the stink of the neat bleach as I dragged it across what was left of the blood. The kitchen door opened then, and I silenced my humming. Bella came behind me, her arm in bandages,  
"Esme, let me do that". Her cheeks turned the same shade of crimson as when she had first arrived this evening, poor Bella did hate a fuss.  
"I'm already done." I smiled up at her, glad she did not seem to be angry at my reaction earlier. "How do you feel?"  
"I'm fine, Carlisle sews faster than any other doctor I've had".  
I let out a gentle laugh, and looked helplessly into the eyes of my husband, who stood behind her.

Alice and Edward came in then. Alice skipped, albeit a little less joyously than usual, to Bella's side, but Edward stood back, his face like stone. Alice took Bella upstairs to change, and Carlisle wrapped his arms around me, burying his face in my hair. I felt safe now, secure. Whatever happened, I would have my Carlisle. He raised his head, and shifted to my side, keeping his arms wrapped gently round my waist. Both our eyes fixed on Edward, who stood with the blankest of expressions on his beautiful face. He was gazing into the distant, not at anything in particular.  
"Edward" I spoke his name gently, and his eyes moved slowly to mine. I released myself from Carlisle and rushed to him, Edward bent his knees so that I could wrap my arms around his neck. "I'm so very sorry Edward". His arms wrapped tighter around me as he spoke.  
"No Mother, It's not your fault". Edward, as with all our children, would switch in the way they addressed us. Sometimes only using the terms Mother and Father, when referring to us when talking to someone else. But sometimes they would call us what we always considered ourselves to be, Edward did it most. I withdrew from my embrace, still keeping hold of Edward's hands. Carlisle came beside me and put his hand on Edward's shoulder.  
"It's alright Edward. Everyone is ok, including Bella."  
"Everyone?" His face was still emotionless. This worried me more than any display of anger of sorrow ever could. "No Carlisle, not everyone. Enough is enough". My whole body tensed, now I was terrified.  
"Edward what do you me-". My desperate question went unanswered because Bella and Alice came down the stairs. We moved to the front door, and Edward opened it without a word.  
"Goodnight Bella, I'm so sorry for everything". I shot a desperate glance at Edward as I said this.  
"No Esme, Thank you. All the effort you put in means so much. And thank you for my gift." She inclined her head to the packages Alice had placed in her undamaged arm.  
"It was our pleasure"  
"Goodnight Bella." Carlisle peeled his desperate eyes of Edward and gave Bella a gentle kiss on the head. There were no "Happy Birthday's" to end the evening, it would have been too sardonic.

When they were gone we stood in silence. I gave Alice a gentle stroke on her arm before Carlisle and I turned back into the living room. The pair of us stood in exactly the spot we had when Bella had arrived earlier. He wrapped his arms around me one again, but my fear did not go away.  
"I'm worried, Carlisle"  
"I know, me too"  
"He's punishing himself. I wish he wouldn't"  
"We cannot do this for him Esme. It's going to be difficult for him, all we can do is support him, and trust he will make the right choices"  
"But what are they?"  
Carlisle let out a short laugh, which seemed more of a desperate sigh.  
"I don't know sweetheart, I don't know"


	6. Alice: Fixing

Ok, so this is the final chapter, it was originally meant to be, then it wasn't, but now it is again. Let me explain: This story was only ever meant to be seen through Edward's family, and on that one single night, but when Chapter 4 gave me writers block, I started to write the aftermath of that night from Edward's p.o.v, intending it to follow Alice's chapter. I now realise it doesn't fit in with the criteria of this fanfic, so will later publish it as a one-shot continuation, but I want to get started on my next project first; the story of when a mysterious visitor tells Renesmee the dark secrets of the Cullen's past, causing her to turn on them, I hope you'll all check that out.

So we've come the end of One Fateful Night, a HUMUNGOUS thankyou to **Zombie's Run This Town**; who's loyal reviewing has kept me going.  
Also to: **Invisible-IWalkAlone  
redheads-have-more-fun-HPLVR  
ClamKidToTheRescue (Because she cried 3)  
Kitasky123  
pure. ambition. writing.**  
And **ALL** other reviewers!  
Disclaimer:Twilight….own……me?......Nope

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Alice**

When it all got too much, I slipped out of the Kitchen using the elegant silence I was known for. She still spotted me though, so I smiled at her, with all the love and apology I could gather to my clenched mouth. Yep, it was too much. Too much to stand in that shameful euphoria of the smell of Bella's blood, too much to watch her in pain, even though she was too stubborn to admit to, or even demonstrate any. It was too much now, standing with my back against the kitchen door, staring out on the chaotic living room. I could feel them, my visions -piling up in my head; consequences and choices waiting for me to discover them. They were causing such a back up that it felt like my own internal voice was struggling to make itself heard. Even when it did it was far from helpful._  
How could you not see this Alice? What good is your gift when you cannot protect the things you love most? _I knew it was impossible, I could never have seen this. Not unless Bella had previously decided to cut herself in front of our coven of vampires, which I though highly unlikely. _Fix this Alice. _Yes, Bella was my best friend and this was my family, I would fix it.

With my quiet resolve set in place I moved slowly to the bottom of the stairs. I sat down; everything seemed to slow as the snapshots of the future I had yet to file through piled higher and higher. _Ok, Bella's fine, just one thing I have to check. _I closed my eyes and thought of Bella, my whole body fell perfectly still as it always did when a vision came. When my eyes opened again they were filled with relief, she was still there, the pale vampire Bella. So long as this stayed in the future, things would be ok. _Ok, now where is Jasper. _I saw him hunting, looking very upset. I considered going to him, but decided it was best to wait 'til after he'd had a talk with Edward. Determined to fix things further, I threw open the front door, jumped off the porch and ran into the trees.

"Alice!" I stopped and turned just as Emmett approached, he ground to a halt just inches before he would have collided with my tiny frame. "Well little sister, I'll say one thing, you sure know how to throw a party!" His face was relaxed, even happy. I couldn't help but laugh. Inside I was still so worried and upset, still unsure about the rest of the visions I felt coming. Emmett wrapped his arms round me, lifting me of the ground as he squeezed me tight. Rosalie glided through the trees and came to our side.  
"Esme went to clean up. Where's Jasper?" Her question was directed at me, but despite my ability to provide an exact answer, Emmett decided to respond.  
"Aaah, he ran off. Edward's just gone in after him"  
"Emmett, How was he?"  
"What's wrong Al, your little noggin' not showin' you everythin' no more?" Emmett bent down as he spoke, giving my "noggin'" a gentle poke.  
"I haven't looked. I think Edward and Jasper's conversation should be private."  
Rose let out a snigger,  
"Conversation? Are you _sure_ that's what they'll be doing?" Emmett's eyebrows crossed and his head hung to the side, the perfect look of confusion across his face, so Rose set about making things easier for him. "Picture it baby, Jasper, Edward, even Alice take a crack at me, a serious one. Even though I'm too strong to even be compared to little Bella, would you really want to _talk _to someone who tried to hurt your beautiful Rose?" Emmett's confusion had been wiped away. He let out a long "Oh" of realisation before a snarl of anger briefly passed, showing then how little consideration Emmett would give to _talking _to anyone who dared try to harm his "beautiful Rose". I just rolled my eyes and said with assurance,  
"Your forgetting Rose, Edward isn't Emmett. He's not as likely to start a scrap, no offence Em"  
"None taken!"  
"True, but now I think of it, Edward probably wouldn't have be the one to start it anyway" Rose's words fell from lips lined with smugness. Though my sister would never want anything tearing her family apart, tonight had been proof to her (and only her) that she was right about Bella all along. Expressions of pure bewilderment were all Rose received from me and Emmett, so she continued. "Ok, Edward has cause to be angry, sure. But what about Jasper? He's been suffering all this time, and Edward's only made it so much worse by bringing _her _into our home and into all our lives" Hearing Rose refer to Bella so coldly filled me with rage, had I not been hanging on her every word I would have been screaming in her face. "Jasper's different to all of us, none of us can know how much he really suffers. Well, nobody but Edward. Edward's probably seen the hell he's put Jasper through every day with Bella, heard it in his head. But he carried on. So yeah, I'd say Jazz's gonna be pretty pissed it's all gone so terribly wrong tonight." Rose's words stung. I understood, didn't I? What hurt most was that her words also made sense. I knew Jasper cared for Bella, but was that just for my sake? Had I brought this on him too, making him suffer because of my love for Bella? I took a deep breath, steadying my increasingly erratic thoughts.  
"They'll be fine. I saw it. Jasper did a little hunting before he saw Edward, so he should be calmer."  
"Yes" Emmett clapped his huge hands together, sending a loud clatter through the woods. "A hunt, my throat is on _fire." _Rose sighed and she smoothed her hair out.  
"Are you coming Alice?"  
"No, I'll wait until Jasper and Edward get back"  
"Aha, that's if one of them isn't out there burnin' the other somewhere"  
The two of them laughed as they ran, leaving me stood with my arms folded, my plan to fix everything far from complete.  
"So not funny Emmett!"

The visions were still waiting. The current future of myself and my family lay in my head, but I didn't want to look. Bella was still set to be like me one day, so why was there this horrible feeling in my mind that something bad was coming? I heard my name being called in the distance. It was coming from the house, and it was Edward. I ran as fast as I could to the porch where he was waiting. Before I reached him he must have sensed the million and one things I had to say, so he cut me off.  
"Bella's clothes are a little worse for wear, could you please go find her something else for when Charlie sees her" He turned then to go back inside but I grabbed his arm.  
"Edward please talk to me, I know everyone's safe but I feel like something bad is about to happen and I'm scar-" His head snapped round to face me. There was no emotion there, but behind his eyes I could see pain, pain that tore me to pieces.  
"I need you to promise me Alice. Whatever you _see_ tonight, you'll keep to yourself"  
"But I –"  
"No Alice. I'll need to explain this myself. I need your word you won't tell anyone what you see" His arms were clenched round my shoulders and his eyes were burning into mine. With the faintest of whispers I said  
"I promise"

The sterile smell of the living room scratched violently at my throat. I saw Bella stood cradling her bandaged arm and skipped to her side, doing my best to look normal for her. I let out a mental sigh, remembering how observant she was, how as much as I tried to convince her I was confident things would be fine, she would probably see through it.  
"C'mon, I'll get you something less macabre to wear". I took her gently by the elbow of her good arm and guided her up the stairs, leaving Carlisle and Esme to gaze desperately at the impassive Edward. In my head I skimmed through every shirt owned by the women of the house. Mine would probably be too small, Rosalie's would have been too big, and I wouldn't risk my immortality by dressing Bella in something of hers. So that left Esme. We reached her closet and I instantly recalled a shirt I'd helped her order about two months ago, it was a similar colour to the one Bella now wore, but without the blood and pink frosting.  
"And here was me thinking you were the only shopaholic in the family". I let out a giggle.  
"It's infectious Bella, _I'm _infectious, and one day I'll get you too" I helped her manoeuvre her arm out and in of the shirts, just liked I'd had to after the James incident left her badly beaten up. Despite the horrible associations the memories brought up, I was glad I had them, she really was my best friend, I was so happy she had come into my life.

I took her hand and started to lead her out of the closet when she stopped and whispered my name.  
"Yes?" I was whispering too, whatever Bella was about to say I was sure she wouldn't want Edward to hear, there was a strong possibility he could, but by the way he's been acting, I doubted he was trying to.  
"How bad is it?" Just like I thought, she's seen right through all of us. I wondered if she's been keeping a mind-reading ability secret this whole time. I decided to be honest; lying would get me nowhere anyway.  
"I'm not sure yet" My answer was neither positive nor negative. It did not confirm things were a mess, and it did not deny it. Plus it was true. I _wasn't _sure; I was too chicken to look just yet. Bella's face scrunched up for a second, while she processed what I'd just said.  
"How's Jasper?" I let out a sigh, thinking of what Rose had said. But I pushed that out of the way and thought of what I'd seen in my vision, and how I thought he'd be feeling.  
"He's very unhappy with himself. It's all so much more of a challenge for him, and he hates feeling weak"  
"It's not his fault. You'll tell him that I'm not mad at him, not at all, won't you?"  
"Of course." And I would, he'd be glad to hear it, _I _was glad to hear it. Edward was quietly going to pieces and according to Rose, Jasper had some issues I needed to help him deal with. I couldn't cope if my husband and my best friend were at odds too.  
I held Bella's hand as we descended the stairs. Edward was an ominous sight as he held the door open for them to leave.  
"Take your things" I made my voice as cheery as possible as I gently placed the gifts into Bella's arm, along with her camera. "You can thank me later, when you've opened them". After they left I just stood. Esme stroked my arm before she and Carlisle went into the living room, but I barely acknowledged her, I was in a trance, Edward's words replaying in my head_; I need you to promise me Alice. Whatever you see tonight, you'll keep to yourself. _What could he have meant? I knew where the answer lay of course, and the time had come. I took a deep breath and opened the front door. Standing on the porch, with the Chinese lanterns still aglow, I stood, shut my eyes, and focused on the future.

When I came back to everything, I knew he was close, just like he always was when I needed him, just like he always would be. He strode slowly out of the trees, a look of desperate regret across his beautiful face. My knees were about to buckle, but I forced them to carry me to him. I ran into his arms and began to sob.  
"Alice, baby what is it?" I was shaking, top to toe in his loving arms, no words would come, I wasn't allowed to say what I'd seen anyway, Edward had forbidden it. I wasn't allowed to tell that Edward had made his choice. I wasn't allowed to tell that we were leaving.


	7. Continuation Announcement

**Just thought I'd post this here so all of you with subscriptions to this story will get the message that the follow up has now been posted.**

**Sorry it took so long.**

**"The Long Goodbye" is the aftermath of the party told through Edward's p.o.v; as he tells his family they're leaving and prepares to tell Bella too.**


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